My perspective of the whole car buying experience

Fitzgerald and the Toyota Tacoma

Let me start at the beginning so that you can understand that I am a highly motivated buyer. On March 8, I really tried to buy a vehicle and was thwarted in my effort. I figured it would be easy to buy one in a larger city the next time I was in one and actually had planned on going to Columbus or Lancaster on Friday afternoon to pick one up. My grandmothers death changed my circumstances and placed me in Cincinnati instead. Oh well, it doesn’t much matter to me. I just want a truck that meets my specifications (see the March 8 entry) and don’t much care who I buy it from.

I tried the Nissan dealer first since that is what I thought would give me the best deal. They didn’t have one so I went up to the Toyota dealer. Fitzgerald met me at the door and I asked if they had any two wheel drive trucks on the lot. He pointed out the direction and then started following me and asking me what I wanted and trying to gauge my interest I’m sure. That is annoying to me. I would just as soon look around myself and see for myself. Sometimes I find something a little better than what I came looking for and it takes me a few minutes to determine how much I want and what I’m willing to pay. TIP: Had you waited and given me a little bit of time on my own, I may have bought more than what I came in for. When pressed, I either get exactly what I came in for or leave. In any case, Fitz is a pleasant chap so I don’t let it deter me… for now. One of the questions he asks is what color do I prefer. I said quite sincerely that it just doesn’t matter to me. Fitzgerald I later find out is from Zimbabwe and it seemed to me a funny moment for both of us. That did serve to break the ice a little.

Fitzgerald (Fitz) heads back thinking that he has what I’m looking for somewhere. I found a silver truck and look it over and think it isn’t too bad a deal. Odd, but I don’t much care for the color at first and so wander around the lot a little looking to see if they have similar models in different colors. I head back and see the silver truck moving. Fitzgerald found it and is looking for me. He pulls up and motions for me to get in. I just hold my ground and ask a little about the truck. In my mind, I’m thinking that at 53, I can drive myself thank you and don’t need you to drive me around. I notice that it has a cassette player. I ask Fitzgerald when was the last time he bought a cassette. He hesitated and then laughed and admitted that it had been a long time. I figure that in his hesitation he was trying to think of a good way to turn this into a positive and yet must have realized that his case was hopeless and was willing to admit to it. At that point, I am willing to buy the truck from you Fitz. You are either honest enough to admit that a cassette is absurd, or at least have the presence of mind to realize your hopeless position on this topic. In either case, you concede the point and I am sold. It wasn’t exactly at hello, but not far afterwards.

TIP: All that you have to do now is allow me to buy it. Don’t do anything to make me mad and let me do it the way I want to do it. It is that simple. Here is what happened.

We went into the showroom and I ask for a price. You (Fitz) grab the proposal form and start asking me questions that really don’t have much to do with giving me an answer. I play along because I want the truck and know that we have to play this little game. I’ve walked out on people before at this point. I asked a simple question and expect a simple answer. Not a load of personal questions. In any event, you came back with some absurd figure. Fitz, you must realize that the prices are all posted on the Internet. You can expect that many customers will have some idea of what a reasonable price will be. I think on my next purchase I’ll just walk out on the suggestion of an absurd price. I’m not here to haggle and bargain with you, I’m here to buy a truck and my time means something to me. I told you a little about my circumstances and to your credit, you came back with a reasonable price. If it would have been high again, I would have walked out.

Next I told you that I wanted to sleep on it and would come back tomorrow to buy it. You tried to get some “good faith” money out of me show my interest. I resisted and told you why. I really do have twelve hundred in cash on me as we are talking but am not about to give you any of it. You left (without telling me why) and brought back Jack to talk with me. You are pushing me all the wrong way at this point. I’ve found the truck I want, I’ve got the price I want, now just let me buy it the way I want. E.G. I’m going to sleep on it—actually, I just want to tell my wife what I’m going to buy. It seems a civil thing to do and is probably part of the reason that we are still married after 25 years.

Jack is nice enough and the stories about the land are interesting but I would rather be helping my Dad at this point. We have loads of guests coming in from out of town and I’ve got better things to do with my time. Fortunately we didn’t spend long and neither of you pushed the “good faith” money too hard. Had it drug on or you or Jack insisted on some up front money, you would not have seen me again. I’m the customer and I'll buy it my way or take the highway.

The next day at eleven I walked in the showroom and want to just sit down and sign whatever I must and get back to more important things. My expectation is that we can have it done in an hour. I stood at the front door and no one even acknowledged me. I waited, and waited. I looked at my watch and decided that at quarter after I would just leave. It was thirteen minutes after when Jack noticed me and waved (he was on the phone with someone). OK, I sat down and waited. A few minutes later someone came by and told me that you had called and would be there in a couple of minutes. OK, I’ll wait. At eleven thirty, I realize that I’ve been lied to and feel that I’m free to walk out at any time. Your credibility is nil with me. A half hour and a couple of minutes are way different notions to a motivated buyer. I am motivated to buy and think the deal and the truck is good enough and the hassle of going somewhere else is more than I want so I just decide to wait… but I’m starting to stew. How far is Tri-County from here and how likely is it that they would do any better? Would they have the truck in stock? At 11:47 I’ve had enough and walk out. Part of the reason is that I’m just thirsty. Why Jack didn’t have someone offer me a cup of coffee or something I can not imagine. I do not intend to come back. You have been rude, your co-workers have treated me rude, you have lost the sale. Had I given you “good faith” money the night before, walking out wouldn’t have been such an easy option for me. No one will ever get “good faith” money from me after this experience.

Jeanie calls me on my cell phone while I’m ordering a fruit plate at Kroger’s and tells me that you have called. I told her that I wasn’t buying the truck, was busy, and would talk with her later. I was really mad that you called my house. I went back to Dad’s and was just cleaning and dusting his house a little before out guests started arriving and had just finished and was feeling good about having the house a little nicer before company arrived. You got lucky! This time I was in better spirits when Jeanie called and told me that you had called several more times and was willing to throw in the CD player. At this point your persistence could have back fired and been really obnoxious to me. If I was still at my chores, I would have been furious. If I didn't have the time, or any number of reasons, I could have easily just ignored you. If you were just persistent and not offered the free CD, I still would have ignored you. To your credit, you realized without talking with me that you had to give up something to get me interested again. The offer of a free CD was what won me over but it would not have worked unless I had my other tasks completed. I called and told you that I could be there in 10-15 minutes if we could just sign papers and get it done quickly. You agreed so I decided to try again. Imagine the different frame of mind I have this time over what I had in the morning. I’m still willing the buy the truck but only because it is something I need and think it can be done quickly (my main objective over price at this point). You are on treacherous territory now and anything I perceive as hostile to me and you will not see me.

I walked in the showroom again and it is only a couple of minutes before I see you. We shake hands and I ask that you just don’t talk about it and just get to the task at hand. Again, to your credit, you did just that. I didn’t care the reasons for the morning fiasco, I didn’t need an apology, I just want to buy the truck and get going. That is exactly what we did. Thank you. On the way out I realized that the CD probably came out of your pocket and I don’t want to rob you so I made the offer to go half with you. My time is valuable but so is yours. My feelings and sense of self respect also have some meaning to me and I figure the same with you. I don’t feel that I’ve treated you poorly but also I’ve let it be known that I’ll tolerate very little and you were willing to work with me at the expense of your own feelings. I'm hoping that by offering to go half and half with you on the CD that it restores your sense of well being. It seems fair to me that I have some compensation and yet I also want you to feel good and have some self respect about the deal. That is probably how you stay in business. Both parties have to walk away feeling good. If you “win”, I’ll not be back to see you. If I “win”, you will tire of being abused and will find another way of earning a living. As it is, I’d be willing to buy another from you when the need arises and perhaps more importantly, recommend you to my family and friends or gosh knows how many of strangers who may happen on this article. We had a minute or two of friendly chat and a good laugh after everything is finalized and I head for home.

The next day I pick up the truck without event. In fact we talked for a couple of minutes and I find that you are really a very interesting and enjoyable person and probably the reason I was drawn to buy the truck from you to begin with and able to tolerate you when things went South. I hope this narrative helps give you a perspective of what may be going on with your customer and makes you better able to help them. In particular, you should try to hone your perception of when you have made the sale. After that point, everything you do that is outside of what the customer wants is taking a chance on blowing the sale. I hope to hear from you again. My e-mail is dave.weeks atnospam frogtails.com.

Synopsis

It just shouldn’t be so difficult for a motivated buyer to purchase a vehicle. Anyone who figures this out should do very well and sell a bunch of them.